CITY AND COUNTY OF SAN FRANCISCOCOMMISSION ON THE ENVIRONMENTOPERATIONS COMMITTEE
APPROVED MINUTES Monday, October 17, 2005, 5:30 P.M.Department of the Environment11 Grove Street, Ground Floor Conference RoomSan Francisco, CA 94102
*The meeting was rescheduled from the Regularly Scheduled Meeting date of Wednesday, October 19, 2005 at 4:00 p.m. to a Special Rescheduled Meeting on Monday, October 17, 2005 at 5:30 p.m.
COMMITTEE MEMBERS: Commissioners Arlene Rodriguez (Chair); Paul Pelosi Jr. and Alan Mok
Commission Secretary: Monica Fish
ORDER OF BUSINESS
Public comment will be taken before the Commission takes action on any item.
1. CALL TO ORDER AND ROLL CALL
The meeting was called to order at 5:40 p.m. Present: Commissioners Arlene Rodriguez and Alan Mok. Excused: Commissioner Paul Pelosi Jr. Deputy Director David Assmann was not present for the meeting. Director Blumenfeld reported on agenda items.
2. ACTION: Adoption of Minutes of the July 20, 2005 Regular Meeting. Upon motion by Commissioner Rodriguez and second by Commissioner Mok, the July 20, 2005 Regular Meeting Minutes were unanimously adopted. There was no public comment at this time.
3. PUBLIC COMMENTS: Members of the public may address the Committee on matters that are within the Committee’s jurisdiction and are not on today’s agenda. There was no public comment at this time.
4. DISCUSSION: Presentation of the Five-Year Impound Account, Budget, and Plan. Staff: Jared Blumenfeld, Director
“Solid Waste Impound Account Budget” for 2006-2011, “SF Recycling & Disposal, Inc. Rate Application, Schedule F.4 Impound Account for the Rate Years ending June 30” and “Residential Recycling 2006-2007 Goals and Budget” documents were handed out in Committee. Director Blumenfeld presented on the five-year impound account, budget and plan reporting that the majority of the Department’s budget comes from the impound account and is an important source of funding for the Department’s activities. Main points discussed included:
· The impound account is a function of the refuse rate-setting process that the Department is in the process of. Residential rates are determined in San Francisco according to a 1932 Ordinance and will be set for a five-year period from 2006-2011. Residential rates will go up 39 percent for that period.
· The Department’s priorities, goals, budget, services, benefits, and annual rate-increases for residential and commercial/municipal programs broken down by program area, salary costs, professional and other services for 2006-11 were described (see Impound Account Budget handouts). The Impound Account budget plan will be submitted with the Department’s budget packet to the Board of Supervisors.
· Prior years distribution of Department of the Environment budget monies to other City departments and future availability of funds.
· A presentation of the five-year impound account, budget, and plan will be an action item for the November 22 Commission meeting. Actual services and benefits will be specified in greater detail at the meeting. The final budget will be approved in June.
5. DISCUSSION: Update on the Department of Environment’s Proposed Move to 25 Van Ness Avenue. Staff: Jared Blumenfeld, Deputy Director
Director Blumenfeld reported that the Department negotiated a 33-percent rent reduction at the current location of 11 Grove Street through January 2007. The goal is for the Department to move to 25 Van Ness Avenue, a City-owned building, by January 2007 with all staff located on the first floor. The goal is to raise approximately $1 million dollars to create a world-class eco-center at the building. The rent at 25 Van Ness would be lower than 11 Grove.
6. INFORMATION: Update on the Environmental Justice Program and Review of Request for Proposal for Fiscal-Year 2005-2006 Grant Applications. Staff: Sraddha Mehta, Environmental Justice Coordinator
Ms. Mehta described the “Environmental Justice Grant Program 2005/06” Request for Proposal (RFP) draft that would be released within the next week (copy handed out in Committee meeting). The RFP is for disbursement of $500,000 in grant funding to non-profit organizations to address environmental concerns in the southeast community (Potrero and Bayview Hunters Point neighborhoods) in San Francisco. Types of projects that grants would be funding were described. Director Blumenfeld recommended that environmental justice advocacy work/trainings be funded.
An update on the Environmental Justice Program was given. Main points discussed included:
· The Environmental Justice section is in the process of evaluating all environmental justice grants. It was reported that an independent consultant had been hired to conduct a programmatic evaluation of all environmental justice grants. Twenty-five grantees are being interviewed, and an evaluation form has been developed for both the department and grantees to fill out. A discussion was held on performance measure techniques.
· Duke Energy Solar Installation Request for Proposal will be completed on October 18th. The Request for Proposal is for $235,000 and would include about 24 kilowatts of solar panels on low-income housing and or non-profit buildings. The Environmental Justice group would work with the group hired to determine the best candidates to receive the solar panels.
· The Bayview Farmers Market pilot project has been operating every Saturday since May 21st and will run until November 19 for the season. On August 6 the market moved from 3rd and Galvez Street to the Bayview Opera House because of low turnout. It was reported that turnout is still too low and has to be doubled from approximately 150 to 300 customers for the market to be worthwhile for the farmers. Vendor permit-costs, subsidizing farmers, and marketing techniques were discussed. The Environmental Justice group is in the process of identifying funding for next year for either a Farmers Market or a mobile Farmer’s Market.
· Bayview Hunters Point Community Air Monitoring Project (Bay-CAMP) in the San Francisco's Bayview Hunters Point community has been monitoring for a full year. It has been removed from the site because the Redevelopment Agency requested their land back, and the California Air Resources Board requested their equipment back. The Environmental Justice Program group’s preliminary assessment indicates that the data is not that different from the Arkansas Street station.
Sponsor: Commissioner Alan Mok Staff: Jared Blumenfeld, Director
Commissioner Mok asked to describe the differences between the 2003-2006 and 2004-2007 Strategic Plan Objectives. Director Blumenfeld stated that program goals are achieved through a step process, and that program activities are dictated through set goals and legislation. The Strategic Plan objectives are updated each year to bring the Department closer to meeting long-term goals. This item has been continued to the January 18, 2006 Operations Committee meeting. 8. INFORMATION: New Business: Director Blumenfeld advised that (1) the Energy Program area would be hiring a Renewable Energy Coordinator; and (2) California-specific ocean-energy legislation is needed in order to give businesses an incentive to come to the state.9. FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS: The following proposed future Operations Committee agenda items were proposed: (1) continuation of Strategic Plan objectives and Department’s accomplishments; (2) identifying Department’s operational program area activities to discuss at future Operations Committee meetings; and (3) 25 Van Ness Avenue eco-center plan and design.10. PUBLIC COMMENTS: Members of the public may address the Committee on matters that are within the Committee’s jurisdiction and are not on today’s agenda.Public comment from Mr. Uday Mathur, expressing interest in renewable energy issues.11. ADJOURNMENT: The meeting adjourned at 6:55 p.m.
The next Regularly Scheduled Meeting of the Operations Committee is on Wednesday, January 18, 2006 at 4:00 p.m. at 11 Grove Street, Ground Floor Conference Room.
Monica Fish, Commission Secretary TEL: (415) 355-3709 FAX: (415) 554-6393
** Copies of explanatory documents are available at (1) the Commission’s office, 11 Grove Street, San Francisco, California between the hours of 9 a.m. and 5 p.m., (2) on the Commission’s website; (3) upon request to the Commission Secretary, at telephone number 415-355-3709, or (4) via e-mail at [email protected].
Approved: January 18, 2006
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